US CENTCOM chief says 42 ships redirected amid Iran maritime blockade

The commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, has said that 42 commercial vessels have been redirected as part of a maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports.

According to CENTCOM, Cooper praised the “high effectiveness” of the operation, stating that US forces had prevented ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.

Statement from Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander on the success of the U.S. blockade against Iran: pic.twitter.com/78OL04k5cZ

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 29, 2026

He also said that 41 oil tankers carrying around 69 million barrels of crude are currently idle, claiming the cargo is worth more than $6 billion and cannot be sold by Iran.

“That’s an estimated $6 billion-plus from which Iran’s leadership cannot financially benefit,” Cooper said in a statement released by CENTCOM.

Cooper added that the blockade was “highly effective” and said US forces remained “fully committed to total enforcement.”

By Vugar Khalilov